Bound by Betrayal, Claimed by the Beast

Chapter 2 – The Forgotten Daughter’s Fate

The grand hall of Eldoria was suffocating. Heavy with the scent of burning wax and the rustle of silk, it should have been a place of regal grace. But tonight, the air crackled with unease.

King Regis sat upon his gilded throne, his face carved from stone as he read the letter aloud. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of finality.

"The Kingdom of Eldoria seeks peace, and I shall grant it. As a sign of this union, I accept your offer. The royal wedding shall take place in three days. Prepare your daughter. She will be my queen."

Silence followed. Then—

"No!"

Lysandra’s voice shattered the stillness. She surged forward, her golden gown billowing behind her. This had to be a mistake.

"Father, you—you cannot mean this!" Her hands trembled as she snatched the parchment from him, reading the inked words with wide, disbelieving eyes.

A noble cleared his throat. "Three days? That is hardly enough time for a royal wedding."

"He didn’t ask for a wedding," another muttered. "He demanded it."

Lysandra let out a choked laugh. "This—this beast thinks I would wed him?" Her nails curled into the parchment, crumpling the edges. "He’s a savage! A brute!"

"The Wolf King does not request," one of the council members said grimly. "He takes."

Lysandra’s lip curled in disgust. "Then he can take his filthy proposal and shove it into whatever cave he crawled out of!"

"Lysandra!" the queen snapped, though her own face was pale. "Watch your tongue."

"Watch my tongue?" Lysandra turned wildly. "Mother, they expect me to marry a—a thing. A monster that lives in the mountains, who bathes in the blood of his enemies! This is an insult!"

"We cannot refuse him," the king said quietly.

Lysandra stared at him. "You would actually send me away? To live among animals?"

King Regis did not answer.

The queen’s voice was sharp. "We will send a reply. We will tell him—"

"And say what?" the king interrupted. "That we offered peace, but now revoke it? That our word is worth nothing?"

A cold realization settled over the room. To refuse now would be an insult. And an insult to the Wolf King meant only one thing—war.

Lysandra’s breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. No. No, she would not go. She would not be sacrificed like this.

Then—her gaze flickered across the hall.

And landed on Yisa.

A slow, wicked smirk curled her lips.

"Then send her."

The words were so casual, so effortless, yet they sent a ripple through the chamber.

Yisa stiffened.

The queen scoffed. "What nonsense are you saying?"

Lysandra turned, her expression sweet, her voice almost playful. "The letter simply says ‘your daughter.’ It does not specify which one."

The queen’s lips curled in disdain. "That girl is no daughter of mine."

"No," Lysandra agreed, tilting her head, "but she is his." Her gaze flickered to the king. "Isn’t that right, Father?"

Yisa’s stomach twisted, bile rising in her throat. She felt the weight of a dozen eyes shift toward her—assessing, considering.

"She is unfit for marriage," a noble sneered. "The Wolf King would tear her apart."

Lysandra let out a delighted little laugh. "Then it will be a short marriage, won’t it?"

A chuckle rippled through the court.

Yisa’s fingers curled into her dress, pressing against the scar on her palm—the same scar Lysandra had given her years ago.

"Lysandra," the king warned.

She blinked at him, feigning innocence. "It makes sense, does it not? I am the heir of Eldoria. You would send me away when I am to wed Prince Adrian? I am too important. She, however…" Lysandra waved a dismissive hand toward Yisa. "She is nothing. No one would miss her."

The queen’s expression shifted. She was considering it.

"That is true," one of the council members murmured. "The girl has no political value."

"Other than being a burden," another added with a smirk.

A few snickers echoed around the room.

Yisa kept her head down, but inside, her pulse roared in her ears. They were talking about her fate as if she weren’t even standing here.

The king finally spoke. "Enough."

The hall stilled.

He rose from his throne, casting a long shadow across the floor.

His gaze met Yisa’s.

She already knew. She had always known.

"You leave at dawn," the king declared. "Make the necessary preparations."

A finality settled over the chamber.

The nobles turned away, already considering the matter settled.

Lysandra brushed past Yisa, leaning in to whisper, her breath warm against her ear.

"Do try not to die too quickly, little sister."

And just like that, her fate was sealed.